


Mr. Jack Banks

by virginiaclemmpoe



Category: Mary Poppins - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, i wrote this for my mom, jane/jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virginiaclemmpoe/pseuds/virginiaclemmpoe
Summary: It's a frigid night during the winter of 1945, and Jane Banks couldn't be happier to be home. Jane/Jack, just a snapshot of what I thought their future home life might look like that I wrote for my mom because she liked my headcanons about them as a couple. :3 I would really, truly appreciate it if you dropped a comment! Kudos are always welcome too <3





	Mr. Jack Banks

The lovely London sky was starting to stain a deep blue over the sunset, stars just beginning to twinkle into view. Jane Banks was absolutely exhausted, her teeth chattering as she made her way home, sighing as she felt an irritated tickle in her throat. Despite the Labour party’s glorious victory that July and the establishment of Free National Health Services, their hospital had been rather crowded that winter and supplies were running low all around. Hopefully she wasn’t coming down with something- if she was, some tea and extra sleep would have to do the trick.

She crossed the street, avoiding a puddle as she approached 13 Cherry Tree Lane, eager to get home as she started walking the four doors down to the house she'd grown up in, number 17. She and Jack and their two boys had moved in with Michael, John, Annabel, and Georgie (Ellen had moved in with her sister when the slump became too much) when the war began and Michael and Jack had been conscripted. Jack had come home only a year into his service thanks to a nasty leg wound, but after some (admittedly teary) loving care from Jane, he’d recovered some of his mobility in no time, and while he wouldn’t be climbing Big Ben again, he had been more than capable of helping around the house. 

Michael had come home at the end of the war, which thrilled her down to her bones as she unlocked their front door, which almost made the chilly nights and poorly stocked larder not matter at all. Yes, with Michael home, she finally had all of her darlings in one place. Even if Michael wasn’t quite the same anymore; he had some nerve damage that gave him some trouble, but he had his art and his family, and he was happy.

“Mummy!” Daniel jumped up from his spot drawing on the carpet, clutching Jane’s legs in the tightest of hugs. She felt her heart overflow with affection as she leaned down to give her eldest boy a hug. His twin, James, peeked his head out of the kitchen where he was helping Jack with dinner, his mop of dark hair dusted with flour.

“Mummy’s home!” He announced to Jack (who must have been in the back of the kitchen) before waving at her. “Hi, Mummy! I’m covered in flour so maybe I shouldn’t hug you?.” Jane laughed, releasing Daniel to go back to his artwork while she gave his messy brother a big hug.

“I can see that, and you know I don’t care tuppence. How about you wash up, love? I’ll help your father in the kitchen, I want to say hello to him anyway.” James agreed enthusiastically and charged upstairs, almost bumping into a very frazzled Annabel on her way out the door. 

“Aunt Jane, you’re home! I have late night classes, would you mind-”

“Ah ah ah, Annabel, wait!” Jack came out of the kitchen and passed her a package of shortbread biscuits. “Baked these this afternoon- I know it isn’t much, but we’ll leave your dinner for you, too. I’ll have lunch ready for you tomorrow, don’t go to class without it!” Jane tried not to beam at her husband as Annabel pressed a kiss to his cheek (“Thanks a bunch, Uncle Jack!”) and hers before rushing out the door. Jack had been more than a help around the house; since they’d married Jack had become her home a little bit more each day. 

Jack gave a sigh of relief and drew Jane into a hug, kissing her temple. “Hello, Mrs. Banks. I’ve missed you very much today.” Jane nuzzled Jack’s cheek, slipping out of her heels and tightening her embrace. 

“Hello, Mr. Banks. I couldn’t stop missing you today.” Jack’s smile faded into a frown as he felt Jane’s shoulders droop in his arms. “Work has just been so...much. It’s been hard since the slump, but I guess it’s just...worn me down a little? Things were supposed to get better, Jack, and there are so many people I can’t help.” 

“Hey.” Jack tipped her chin up with his knuckle so she could meet his eyes, and kissed her nose. “I know you can’t help everyone, and it’s terrible for those who have to suffer. But you make so many differences in so many lives, Candy Cane, you do so much good as it is. There are hundreds of people in this city who wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for SPRUCE’s shelters and soup kitchens.”

Jane couldn’t help but smile at the familiar nickname, removing her coat and rolling up her sleeves, heading into the kitchen. She’d tried to give herself those reassurances, but they sounded much more legitimate coming from Jack- it helped to hear from someone outside her own head. He’d always seemed to understand that. 

Just like he always knew when she needed a hug, she thought as he came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her torso. “And things have gotten better, maybe not for the whole of England, but for us certainly- Michael’s home, John’s upstairs sleeping off his first shift at his new job…” He dropped a kiss to the apple of her cheek. “And Georgie is happier at university, with his paintings...he and your brother are still in the studio, could you go get them? I’ll ask Danny to help me set the table.” 

Looking around the kitchen, Jane wasn’t surprised to find everything finished already. Jack had just been piling the fish and chips he’d finished onto serving plates. Rations meant fish on Fridays, and Jack had some surprising skill in the kitchen with even the simplest of dishes so it’d become a weekly routine. With the tips of her fingers still chilly, Jane was relieved to have the hot food to look forward to. 

“Be right back, then!” She kissed Jack on the cheek and left the kitchen, headed for Michael’s studio where she found her brother very focused on recreating the icicles outside, Georgie across the room quietly doing his own painting that had barely taken shape- perhaps a landscape? She knocked on the doorframe of the open door, smiling at them both. “Dinner’s ready.” 

“Jane!” Michael got up from his seat with the help of his cane, making his way over for a hug. “Oh goodness Jane, you’re freezing.” He admonished with a frown as he turned, starting the long walk to the dining room; because of his pain regular tasks like this could take a long time. “Better eat up soon, get something warm in your system. You want some wine?” 

“Yes please!” Jane called as he made his way down the hallway, about to follow when Georgie caught her arm and told her quietly,

“...You might want to have a word with Jack, Aunt Jane.” 

“...What?” Jane turned to face him. “Georgie, what do you mean?” Georgie frowned with a sigh.

“The boys told me and father after they got home from school- apparently Jack got quite a lecture from another boy’s father, that boy Travis who’s been bullying them? Apparently Jack tried to talk to him about the situation.” 

“What?” Jane frowned. “We were supposed to talk to him together, we’d arranged this weekend-” 

“ Travis tried to hit Danny, he was just stepping in to defend when the guy started in on him.” Georgie looked immensely uncomfortable as he detailed his weep and wail. “According to the boys... He told Jack, the boys, that you were...bad, for them, is all they really were able to tell me, that he said a lot of “bad things.” I’m sorry I didn’t get more detail, but they were upset, wanted to calm ‘em down so I took them outside for a snowball fight…” 

“No no, thank you for telling me, Georgie, and thank you so much for taking care of the boys.” She gave him a quick hug before opening the door to head to the dining room. “....You don’t mind that I still call you that, do you? You don’t want me to call you George instead?” 

“You, Aunt Jane?” George grinned at her. “Never.” 

………………

After supper, Jane slipped on a pair of Jack’s warm pajamas and crawled into bed with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; she was wondering if perhaps the boys were old enough, at five, to enjoy it, so she was re-reading it to make sure there weren’t any particularly scary bits she may have forgotten over time. She and her brother had loved those books when they were young.

Whistling, Jack came into the room from his bath, changed for bed. He shivered, rubbing his hands together. “Are you warm enough, Candy Cane?” He pulled on another pair of socks. “Wish we had more to heat the house with, but I guess knitting ain’t the worst alternative.” 

“And you’re good at it, too.” Jane smiled, unfolding a knitted afghan he’d made from the end of the bed, spreading it over their quilt. “I’ll take another pair of socks too, actually.” Jack nodded, slipping into bed and passing her the socks, pulling her into a hug. 

“So when were you going to tell me about Travis Connors’ father lecturing you about my apparent badness?” She asked, her voice clearly curious and lacking accusation as she kissed his cheek. Jack sighed, hugging her tighter.

“Just about now, actually. It was downright horrible, Travis tried to hit Danny and I just reacted, told him to get away from him and Connors just went off on me, said he was sick of having to deal with my bad choices.” 

“YOUR bad choices?” Jane frowned, infuriated. “And how dare he, when his child tried to hit my son!” 

“Well that’s a part of it….he thinks that Daniel and James should be more like Travis. Drawin’ and readin’, singin’, all the things our boys love, he said they aren’t for boys, that Daniel and James need to be doin’ sports. He said that….” Jack’s eyes darkened, something Jane recognized from when he’d been angry or defensive in the past. 

Jane prompted him after a bit of a pause. “.....That?” 

“That I should be “ashamed down to my name, Jack Banks.” That I should be ashamed for taking care of the boys while you work with SPRUCE….that I’m not a real man.” He was quiet, and Jane wasn’t quite sure how to decipher his tone. He was upset, but about what?

“Jack, oh dear, he’s wrong, you know that, don’t you?” Jane rubbed a thumb over his jawbone tenderly. “You’re more of a man than most men I’ve met, you-” Jack nodded and took Jane’s hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss her fingertips, prompting her to pause. “You aren’t upset about that?” 

“No, I know I’m a real man. I’m upset because there’s nothing wrong with YOU, Candy Cane, or our boys, and I don’t know where he gets off sayin’ there is!” Jack whispered, trying to keep his anger reined in lest he wake his sons as he turned down the bedside lamp, settling in next to Jane and settling his forehead against hers as he talked,

“We do things differently- maybe we even do ‘em better- but I’m not tellin’ him how to run his house, what I think is “wrong” with his kid, or his relationship with his wife!” He paused, taking a few deep breaths. “.....And, and I’m angry that he thinks there’s anything wrong with my name, that he thinks I should be ashamed of it? I’m PROUD to be Mr. Jack Banks.” he squeezed Jane’s hand. “I’m proud to have your name.” 

Jane felt her heart swell up at that smile that hadn’t changed since she was a girl, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips. “Jack…” Jane shifted, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and tucking her head into the crook of his neck and shoulder. “I love you, Mr. Jack Banks. Exactly the way you are.”


End file.
